Tucson lawmaker voices strong support for legislation to simplify and streamline the federal vetting process for new hires
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords told the influential House Ways & Means Committee today that "the Arizona experience should inform the on-going debate about employment verification" now taking place in Congress.
The Tucson lawmaker testified at a Capitol Hill hearing on legislation she is co-sponsoring that would dramatically simplify and streamline employee verification.
"The experience of Arizona businesses makes it clear that we can do better and that action is needed," Giffords said as she urged the committee to endorse H.R. 5515, the New Employee Verification Act. "If Congress does nothing or simply extends E-Verify without much-needed reform, it will be disastrous."
The New Employee Verification Act provides that reform. The act was recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas, the top Republican on the Ways & Means Social Security Subcommittee. As Giffords noted in her testimony, the act is supported by Chambers of Commerce in Tucson, Marana and Sierra Vista, as well as the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The act has the strong backing of the non-partisan National Federation of Independent Businesses, one of the nation's leading small business associations. Dan Danner, NFIB's executive vice president, commended Giffords and Johnson for introducing legislation that is "workable, efficient and fair without over burdening small business owners."
Click here for links to video of the Congresswoman's testimony.